Mushroom trimming machine



May 10, 1960 A. s. KIRSHNER 2,935,013

MUSHROOM TRIMMING MACHINE Filed March 18, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

ABRAHAM S. KIRSHNER ATTORNEY A. s. 'KIRSHNER MUSHROOM 'TRIMMING MACHINE May 10, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March -18 1958 INVENT OR.

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ABRAHAM%RSHNER BY ATTORNEY May 10, 1960 A. s. KIRSHNEIQ MUSHROOM TRIMMING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 18, 1958 INVENTOR.

ABRAHAM 5. KIRSHNER W ATTORNEY United States Patent MUSHROOM TRIMMIN G MACHINE Abraham S. Kirshner, Llanerch, Pa., assignor of one-half to Louis E. Kibler, Baltimore, Md.

Application March 18, 1958, Serial N0. 722,338 10 Claims. (Cl. 146-81) sanitary machine in which the parts which operate the machine are completely enclosed and are thusprotected ag'ain'stcontamination and against the accumulation of dirt which interferes with the operation of the machine chine of the typeset forth in which the parts which do Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 5-5 on Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on line 6-6 on Fig. 2. a

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 7-7 on Fig. 2 showing one position of the parts.

Fig. 8 is similar to Fig. 7 but showing the parts in a different position.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary top plan view looking in the direction of line 9-9 on Fig. 2.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken on line 10 10 on Fig. 1.

A mushroom trimming machine embodying my in vention includes a suitable support or bed plate 10 which fixedly supports a sleeve 12 which is preferably lined with a .bushing 14. A hub 16 is rigidly secured to sleeve 12 and has rigidly secured thereto a lower supporting plate 18 which will'hereinafter be further referred to. The upper edge of hub '16 co-acts with the upper edge of sleeve '12 to support a bearing plate 20 which rotatably supports hub 22. Hub 22 rigidly carries a relatively heavy upper plate 24 which in turn, also rigidly supports and makes unduly frequent cleaning necessary. 1

come'in contact with the mushrooms are lined, or coated,

with a n'on-wettable material, such as Teflon or with one of a number of available silicone preparations, so as to minimize the adherence of moisture anddirt to said A further object is to produce an improved machine of the type set forth which is adapted for processing mushrooms of different sizes "without the necessity of making any adjustment to any part of the machine.

A; still further object is to produce an improved ma chine in which the manual feeding of the mushroom is expedited and facilitated.

'A still further object is to produce an improved machine of the type set forth which can be used for trimming on the roots ofthe mushrooms only, or for both trimming'the roots and for severingthe stems from'the caps'of the mushrooms. i

A still" further object is toproduce a machine of the type'set'forth which is formed of a minimal permanently assembled skeleton with the operating parts in the naare of independent units each of which is easily installed or'removed independently of the others.

These and other objects are attained by my invention as; set forth in the following specification and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a machine embodying the invention, certain parts being broken away to show details of construction.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on line 2-2 on Fig. '1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevational view looking in the direction of line 3-3 on Fig. 1 showing details of construction.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line HonFigl. i

a top cover plate 26. Hub 22 is keyed as at 28 to a shaft 30, the lower end of which is secured at 32 to a hub 34 which is secured to, or forms part of, a gear 36. Gear 36 is rotated at the desired speed by a pinion 38 which forms part of a gear reduction train 40 which is actuated by a motor M. To the periphery of cover plate 26 is secured a circular'pendent apron 27, which will be hereinafter referred to. By this arrangement, when motor M is energized, plates 24 and 26 and apron 27 will be rotated as a unit, and at the desired speed, in the direction of the arrow, as viewed in Fig. 1.

As best shown in Fig. 1, the machine includes a number of units 41 to 50 inclusive, each of which is adapted to receive a mushroom and is operable to trim only the root of the mushroom or to trim the root and to sever the stem from the cap of the mushroom. As best shown in Figs. 2 and 5, each unit includes a yoke which is rigidly secured to the underside of cover plate 26 and to which are rigidly secured an inner plate 52 and an outer plate 54, which serve as hangers for the remaining parts, as best shown in the left hand portion of Fig. 2. Hanger plates 52 and 54 have horizontally registering holes therein through which rods 56 are freely movable. The

inner end of each rod 56 is connected, by any suitable 60 are so arranged as constantly to bias their respective rods 56 radially outwardly as viewed in Fig. 1. To the outer end of each rod'56 is rim'dly secured a curved shoe 66 which serves as a pusher as hereinafter set forth. Also passing through other horizontally registering holes in each pair of plates 52 and 54 is a rod 68, the outer end of which carries a V-shaped receptacle which is made of two walls secured together to form an acute angle, as clearly shown in Figs. 7 and 8. The upper, open ends of the receptacles 70 of units 41 to 50 register with corresponding access openings 71 which are formed in the periphery of upper cover plate 26 and through which a mushroom may be conveniently laid horizontally in the like, to stub shaft 76 which carries a roller 78.

Roller 78 is adapted to run on arcuate track 80 which is carried by supporting plate 18. As can be seen from Patented May 10, 1966 Figs. 1 and 8, track 80 is non-continuous so as to provide a gap, or opening, 82 to permit roller 78 to fall from the broken, to the solid, line position of Fig. 8, so as totilt receptacle 70'from the vertical position of Fig. 7, to the slanted position of Fig. 8, in which the mtishroom drops from the receptacle ontoa' conveyor, not shown.

Each rod 56 also carries a stub shaft 84 which carries a freely rotating roller 86 which is constantly biased by the corresponding spring 60 radially outwardly or into contact with a cam 90, which is rigidly carried by plate 18. The shape of cam 90 is best shown in Fig. 1 and it will be further referred to. i r

Bed plate also rigidly carries an'arm 94 which ries an arcuate bar 96 which is disposed above a portion of the path of rotation of cover plate 26 and apron 27 and carries a pendent knife 98 for trimming the root 99' of the mushroom and knife 100 for severing the stem 101 of the mushroom from the cap 102 thereof. The working surface of cam 90 includes a first portion which ex tends from point A to point B, a second portion which extends from point B to point C and a third portion which extends from point D to point A. The cam is interrupted to form a gap between points C and D. The working surface of cam portion A-B is circular, and is nearer to the axis of rotation shaft 30 than the portions B--C and D--A. The working surface of the second cam portion is non-circular and, having reference to' the direction of rotation, it slants progressively radially outwardly from point B to point C. The working surface of the third portion of the cam is also noncircular and, having reference to the direction of rotation, it slants progressive ly radial-1y inwardly from point D to point A. By this arrangement, when rollers 86 travel over portion A- B of the cam, they are in their maximum inward position and so are their corresponding pushers 66,. as shownby units 41, 42, 43- and 44 in Fig. 1. As rollers 86 move over cam portion B-C, they move progressively radially outwardly, and their corresponding. pushers 66 pr'ogres-* sively push the mushroom outwardly to cause the stems of the mushrooms to project through openings 106 and 108, as shown by unit 45 in Fig. 1. moves into gap C--D, it will be wholly free of the re straining action of cam 90 and it is moved radially out wardly to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4 in which As each roller 86* it and the apron.

pressure of knife 100. In order to avoid this, I provide cutting supports 104, one for each of units 41 to 50, each of said supports having an opening 106 therein which registers with opening 108 in apron 27. As will be seen from Figs. 2, 4 and 10, each support 104 is spaced enough from the corresponding portion of apron 27 enough to permit free movement of knife 100 between By this arrangement, the mushroom stem is supported by the edge of opening 106 and by the edge of opening 108 and will not break while it is being severed by knife 100.

At least the parts of the apparatus which come in contact with the mushrooms are made of, or ar'liiie'd, of are coated, with a non-wettabl'e, or non-adhering, material, such as Teflon or with one or another of the available silicone preparations so as to discourage the deposit of dirt thereon and so as to be more easily cleaned.

In order to adapt the machine to cutting only the roots 99 of the mushrooms, I provide holes 110 which extend through supporting plate 24 and cover plate 26 and I when the rods are in their innermost position,- register with holes 110. When it is desired to prevent pushers-.66

the stern 101 of the mushroom projects outwardly through openings 1'06 and- 108 and the head 102 of the mush room abuts the edges of V-shaped opening 108 in apron 27, as best shown by unit 46 in Fig. 1. Continuedgrotation causes stem 101 of the mushroom to be severed by knife 100 as shown in Fig. 10. After passing knife 100; the roller 86 of each unit rides on portion D-A of cam 90 progressively to retract its corresponding pusher 66 as indicated by units 46, 48, 49 and 50 in Fig. 1.

It will be noted that, throughout the operation heretofore described, roller 78' was riding on: track 80. How ever, when a unit has passed the position of unit 46; in Fig. 1, its corresponding roller 78 falls off track 80' anddrops through opening 82, or from the broken, to the solid, line position of Fig. 8. This causesreceptacle 70 to tilt and drop the head 102 of the mushroom as bestillustrated in Fig. 8. Immediately after this takes place, roller 78 against travels on track 80 and restores recep-- tacle 70 to its mushroom receiving position. By the time this takes place, roller 86 will have reached pointA on the cam and its corresponding pusher will have been retracted to its extreme inward position. make sure that receptacle 70 is in its proper mushroom receiving position, mushrooms are not deposited in the receptacles until each unit has reached the' position of unit 41*. Since the positions of. units 42 and 43' are the In order to from acting on mushrooms in receptacles 70, pins"11.4 are inserted through holes and 112, thus locking'ro'ds 56 and pushers 66 in their innermost retracted positions the edges of openings 106 and 108 and, therefore, itwil not break while the root 99 is being severed.

I claim:

1. A mushroom trimming machine including ahorizontally disposed receptacle adapted toreceive a mushroom with the root thereof projecting beyond the outer end of said receptacle, means for moving said receptacle in a horizontal circular path, a first knife disposed adia-' cent the path of movement of said receptacle for engaging and severing said root, a pusher engageable with the cap of the mushroom, means normally biasing saidpusher in a directionto cause the stem of said mushroom to project beyond the outer end of said receptacle, a second knife also disposed in the path of movement of said receptacle and adapted to engage and sever the stemfrom; the head of said mushroom. Y 2. The structure recited in claim 1-,- and an arm nonnab ly supporting said receptacle in" a mushroom-receiving and retaining position, a first actuating means engageable;

with said arm after said receptacle has moved past said second knife for tilting said receptacle into a mushroomdischarging position, and a second actuatingmeans alsp engageable with said arm for restoring s'aidreceptacle to its mushroom-receiving and retainingposition.- y 3. A mushroom trimming machine including a vertical rotary shaft, a horizontal'cover ,plate fixedly carried by,

and rotatable with, said shaft, a plurality'of receptacles disposed below, and rotatable with, said plate, each of said receptacles being adapted to receive a mushroom;

with the root thereof projecting beyond the outer end of the receptacle, 9. pusherengageable with the cap of the mushroom in each receptacle, a spring connected to, and normally biasing, each pusher outwardly to' cause the stem of the mushroom to roject beyond the du'tei" end of its receptacle, a cam, a cam fe'eler connected to each pusher and engageable with said cam, said cam'ir'f-' eluding a first portion which is operative to retract eacli pusher radially inwardly to prevent engagement thereof with the mushroom in the corresponding"receptacle aiill a second portion operative to cause each p'u'slier'td inure to an outer position in which they engage the pag therespective mushroom to" cause the stem of said musliroom to project beyond the outer end of thercspe c'tive It be r receptacle, said cam including a third portion disposed to the other side of said first portion and operative progressively to retract each pusher radially inwardly until the cam feeler of saidpusher is again in engagement with said first portion of said cam.

4. The structure recited in claim 3 and a first knife disposed adjacent the path of movement of said receptacles during which said feelers are traversing said first portion of the cam and the corresponding pushers are in their inner position whereby said knife will sever the projecting root only, and a second knife also positioned in the path of movement of said receptacles during which said pushers are in their outer position and the stems of the mushrooms project beyond the outer ends of said receptacles to sever the stems from the caps of themushrooms.

5. The structure recited in claim 3 and an apron carried by, and rotatable with, said cover plate, therebeing V-shaped openings in said apron registering with the ends of said receptacles through which the stems of said mushrooms project, said J-shaped openings being too small to permit the passage of the caps of the mushrooms.

6. A mushroom trimming machine including a vertical, rotary shaft, a plate carried by, and rotatable with, said shaft, a plurality of receptacles each having its outer end open and adapted to receive a mushroom with the root thereof projecting outwardly through said open end, a knife disposed in the path of movement of said receptacles and adapted to engage and sever the roots of said mushrooms, a pusher associated with each of said receptacles, an arm for supporting each pusher adjacent the inner end of a receptacle, yielding means connected to each of said arms and operative to bias the corresponding pusher radially outwardly to cause the stern of the mushroom in the corresponding receptacle to project beyond the outer end of said receptacle, and means operable at will to prevent movement of said pushers in response to said yielding means.

7. The structure recited in claim 6 in which said last mentioned means includes apertures formed in saidplate and registering apertures formed in the inner ends of said arms, and pins insertable through said registering apertures.

8. A mushroom trimming machine including the vertically disposed shaft, means for rotating'said shaft, a cover plate carried by, and rotatable with, said shaft, a pendent apron carried by the periphery of said cover plate and rotatable therewith, therebeing a plurality of spaced openings in said apron, a plurality of unitary, individually mountable and demountable sub-assemblies carried by the underside of said cover plate inwardly of said apron, 'each of said sub-assemblies including a radially disposed receptacle having its inner and outer ends open and adapted to receive a mushroom to be trimmed, the outer end of said receptacle being in registration with a corresponding opening in said apron, whereby the root of a mushroom placed in said receptacle projects outwardly through the opening in said apron, a pusher movably mounted adjacent the inner end of said receptacle, means normally biasing said pusher radially outwardly to cause the stem of the mushroom to project through the opening in said apron, a first knife mounted adjacent the path of movement of said apron, means preventing radial outward movement of said pushers to keep them out of engagement while said receptacles and said apron move past said knife whereby only the projecting roots of the mushrooms in successive receptacles are severed, a second knife also located adjacent the path of movement of said receptacle and said apron and spaced from said first knife, means for permitting outward movement of said pushers radially outwardly while said receptacles travel between said first and second knives to cause the stems of the mushrooms to project through the openings in said apron to be severed by said second knife, and means for retracting said pushers after said receptacles have passed said second knife.

9. A mushroom trimming machine comprising; a fixed support, a horizontally arranged mushroom carrying member having a head supporting portion and a stem supporting and head limiting portion movably supported on said fixed support, a vertical cutter adjacent said stem supporting and head limiting portion, pusher means associated with said carrying member movable toward said stem supporting and head limiting portion and cam means etween said fixed support and said pusher means for moving said pusher means toward said stem supporting and head limiting portion whereby the stem of the mushroom is severed adjacent the head.

10. A mushroom trimming machine comprising; a fixed support, a horizontally arranged mushroom carrying member having a head supporting portion and a stem supporting and head limiting portion movably supported on said fixed support adapted to receive a mushroom with the root thereof projecting beyond one end of said carrying member, a first vertical cutter adjacent said stem supporting and head limiting portion positioned to sever the root projecting beyond said carrying member, a second vertical cutteradjacent said stem supporting and head limiting portion, pusher means associated with said carrying member movable toward said stem supporting and head limiting portion, and cam means between said fixed support and said pusher means for moving said pusher means toward said stem supporting and head limiting portion, whereby the stem of the mushroom is severed adjacent the head.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS (Addition to No. 983,385)

OTHER REFERENCES New Beginnings from a New Finish, Ware, Dupont Magazine, June-July 1952, pages 35 to 37. 

